novelraw Chapter 731 406: Can't Pay, Not Buying
Chapter 731 406: Can't Pay, Not Buying
The Netherworld is void, the Netherworld is real.
This is an inter-dimensional prison, imprisoning exiles from countless worlds.
It is a place of filth that the power of the gods refuses to touch, a life-forbidden zone where even the power of demons hesitates.
No one wants to come here voluntarily, yet many decide not to leave once they arrive.
The residents of the Netherworld never consider themselves prisoners; they pride themselves on being called Free People.
As long as they don't leave the Netherworld, it is the freest place in the world.
The Netherworld has only a few basic rules to ensure the residents' freedom of action; there is no government, no police, no military, only places for trade and debate.
Of course, the rules for debate here are simple: might makes right.
When Roland arrived at the Netherworld, he looked at the rotund fellow with an adorable demeanor welcoming guests at the city gate and momentarily thought he had come to the wrong place.
"Is this the Netherworld?" Roland pondered briefly and chose to ask directly.
"Outsider, this is indeed the Netherworld, but I would prefer you to call it the Land of Freedom," the genial rotund fellow continued smiling with squinted eyes, not offended.
"If I wish to pass through to the Sea of Annihilation, what will it cost?"
Seeing the man who looked every bit like a merchant's greeter, Roland decided to be forthright.
"The Sea of Annihilation?"
The fat man's eyes widened in surprise, then his expression turned serious, "There are two ways: one is to gain permission from the Judge, the other is to sneak in."
"What's the difference?" Roland asked curiously.
"If you gain the Judge's permission, you'll remain a friend; if you sneak in, you'll be an enemy," the fat man stated calmly.
Roland thought for a moment and softly asked, "Isn't the Sea of Annihilation a one-way trip?"
"Thus far, no one has come back from the Sea of Annihilation."
The fat man showed a kind smile, "But just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't. You know, a good businessman never says never."
"Indeed."
Roland nodded in agreement and casually asked, "How did the previous visitors choose?"
"Unfortunately, they chose to become the Land of Freedom's enemies."
The fat man shrugged and lightly mocked, "Since they made such a choice, even if they could come back, they would still be enemies of the Land of Freedom, so they were doomed."
"Any chance to break through the Judge's blockade?" Roland frowned.
"Only a fool who doesn't understand the Judge's power would think so."
The fat man snorted, "Under the Divine Domain, the Judge is invincible, otherwise, he wouldn't hold sway over this lawless region. Well, I told you so much because you don't seem like a single-minded fool, make your decision."
"It's a pity, a pretty young lady a few days ago had already decided to make a deal, but backed out at the last moment, angering the Judge greatly."
The fat man stopped abruptly, perhaps realizing his slip, he glared at Roland in irritation and growled softly:
"Make your decision quickly, I'm busy."
"Sorry, one more question, what is the cost to impress the Judge?" Roland squinted his eyes.
"Pay the most precious thing, or a part of the soul, anyway, it can be negotiated."
The fat man was clearly impatient, urging Roland once again to decide.
The most precious thing or a part of the soul?
Sorry, I can't afford it.
Invincible under the Divine Domain? Roland didn't agree.
He didn't believe anyone at the same level could defeat Sofia, and now that Sofia had regained her peak strength, her power must be above the Judge's.
As long as he held out until Sofia came to his aid, he had nothing to fear from the Judge.
To rescue Sif, he couldn't pay any price.
From the start, he never intended to trade; he was just toying with the fat man to gather intelligence.
His plan was flawless; the fat man indeed thought of him as a flexible merchant willing to trade anything.
From what he heard, the pretty young lady who went into the Sea of Annihilation before was Sif.
Having been with him for a long time, Sif's approach had also become flexible; as long as there was the possibility of a deal, she wouldn't refuse.
The most precious thing? No need to think twice about what it is.
Since Sif didn't want to trade, how could he accept it?
Roland nodded, smiling, and said, "Thank you for the introduction, I've made my decision."
Charge in!
Tossing a smoke bomb, Roland's figure disappeared at the far end of the horizon.
In the Netherworld, there are seven entrances to the Sea of Annihilation. Without a government or army, naturally, there are no specific gatekeepers.
The so-called Judge only holds the strongest power, everyone gives him face, he can't maintain an army.
The Judge has a few Patrollers under his command to maintain order, but they're not used to guard the black hole-like place of no return.
Roland appeared to charge the gate directly but actually circled back to the city center of the Netherworld.
The most dangerous place is the safest place.
The darkest spot is truly dark.
Gold is a universally accepted hard currency. When Roland entered the Netherworld, he used a special method to seal three thousand kilograms of gold in an independent space to bring it in.
This money would be wasted if not spent.
Doing some shopping in the Netherworld before heading to the Sea of Annihilation.
The fat merchant rushed angrily to report the negotiation failure to the Judge. Soon, several Patrollers left the city heading to the Sea of Annihilation's entrance to intercept Roland.
They might not be able to stop Roland, but a slight delay would suffice.
The Judge would appear with the force of wind and thunder, crushing those who show disrespect.
After being severely reprimanded by the Judge, the fat man finally waited for the Judge's dismissive wave, leaving drenched in sweat.
He walked angrily into a bar, intending to find a seat and have a few drinks, only to find every seat taken. According to the shop's rules, unless a table's patrons agreed to let him join them, he couldn't force himself to sit down.